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Did you know that Tony Ferrer's first starring role was a non-Agent X-44 movie titled Markong Bagsik? The film, released theatrically in September 27, 1964, was directed by Armando Garces. It also starred Divina Valencia, Eddie Garcia, Rod Navarro and Max Alvarado. Ferrer hit big time when he later portrayed the character of Tony Falcon, Agent X-44 in many of his movies.

Sunday, March 30, 2008

Miguel Pamintuan de Leon, also known as Mike de Leon, is a noted Filipino film director, cinematographer, scriptwriter and film producer. He was born in Manila

on May 24, 1947 to Manuel de Leon and Imelda Pamintuan. His interest in filmmaking began when he pursued a master's degree in Art History at the University of Heidelberg, Germany.

De Leon first made two short films namely: Sa Bisperas, 1972, and Monologo(Monologue), 1975. He established theCinema Artists Philippines in 1975. He produced Lino Brocka's Maynila: Sa mga Kuko ng Liwanag, while also acting as the said film's cinematographer in 1975. For Maynila: Sa Mga Kuko ng Liwanag, De Leon won best cinematography awarded by the FilipinoAcademy of Movie Arts and Sciences [Famas].

De Leon's films are a full reflection of the Filipino psyche that sought answer for questions on social class belonging, political absurdities, and fragmentations in various forms. His first major full-length work was, Itim (Black), in 1976. It was an in-depth study of guilt and violence and shows de Leon’s delicate balancing of cinematic elements to project mood and character. It was voted by the Philippine’s Urian Awards as one of the Ten Outstanding Films of the Decade: 1970-1979. The film also won him the best director award during the 1978 Asian Film Festival held in Sydney, Australia.

Known for his varied experiments in styles of film directing, he pushed the birth of the new musical in Kakabakaba Ka Ba?, a landmark film which portrayed a number of self-important totems of Philippine society. Kakabakaba Ka ba? won for De Leon the Urian award for best director.

His other movies include Kisapmata (1981), Batch '81 (1982) and Sister Stella L.(1984). In these films he tackled social and political issues with powerful and disturbing imagery. His blockbuster film, Hindi Nahahati ang Langit (1985) was an adaptation from an earlier Filipino Komiks version of the same title. In 1987, De Leon also made Bilanggo sa Dilim, a full-length video commissioned by Sony Entertainment.

De Leon explored subjects such as incest, fraternity violence, and the Filipino workers' cause. These were themes that were portrayed in the films Kisapmata, Batch '81 and Sister Stella L. respectively. These films became cinematic masterpieces in Philippine History of Filmography and were later listed as the Philippines's Ten Outstanding Films of the Decade: 1980-1989 by the Philippines’ Urian Awards. Later on, Batch '81 was voted best picture by the FilmAcademy of the Philippines (FAP) where de Leon also won a best screenplay award. For Sister Stella L. de Leon won best director and best screenplay in the Philippines's Urian Awards in 1984. Kisapmata and Batch '81 were presented during the Directors' Fortnight at the 1982 Cannes Film Festival. The film Sister Stella L. was an entry during the 1985 Venice Film Festival.

De Leon pioneered the use of computer graphics animation for the TV advertising industry in 1988.

De Leon’s film, Aliwan Paradise, became a part of the Southern Winds in 1993, which is a collection of four films from Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippine, and Japan. The NHK and Japan Foundation commissioned this film anthology.

Saturday, March 29, 2008

Tony DeZuniga was an avid comics reader as a child, Tony's favorites included Jack Kirby and Alex Toth, and he loved Alex Raymond's Rip Kirby and Flash Gordon. His love for comics inspired him to do comics on his own. He began his career as a letterer when he was 16 for a weekly magazine where he met Alfredo Alcala and Nestor Redondo, artists who he counts as those who have inspired and encouraged him, and became his friends.

Tony moved to the US in 1962 to study an advanced course in Graphic Design and went back home to the Philippines to work in the advertising industry while at the same time drawing for comics like Hiwaga Komiks and Caravana Klasiks, and Romansa Komiks. At the end of the 60's Tony moved back to New York and met with DC Editor Joe Orlando and immediately he was given an assignment inking Ric Estrada on a romance story for Girl's Love Stories #153. His first story he penciled and inked on his own was most likely a Dr. Thirteen story for Phantom Stranger, published in April, 1971, and work soon followed regularly.

He was soon given the chance to co-create a new character with writer John Albano, which eventually became Jonah Hex, one of the more enduring modern day characters in the DC Universe.

Jonah Hex / All-Star Western/ 1972

Tony then paved the way for other Filipino comics artists to enter the US industry when he convinced DC Editor in Chief Carmine Infantino and Joe Orlando to visit the Philippines in 1971. Artists like Alex Niño, Alfredo Alcala, Nestor Redondo, Fred Carrillo. Vicatan, Gerry Talaoc and so many more found a lot of work on DC's stable of Mystery and War titles as a result.

Tony went on to draw Black Orchid, X-Men, Punisher etc. Retired, Tony spends his time painting in oil, watercolor, acrylic, charcoal and entering competitions. He also does many portrait commissions and teaches portrait, drawing and a how to draw superheroes class at the Lodi Arts Commission.Source: The Philippine Comics Art Museum

De Zuniga did most of the movie poster ads and layouts of most of FPJ movies in the 1960s. These original movie posters/ads are well preserved and can be viewed upon request at the FPJ studio/compound at Del Monte ave, Quezon City.

The first Them! was the 1954 B movie chestnut with gigantic radioactive ants, seminal to its genre and in many ways ground zero for the modern disaster movie as we know it , the way it seemed to take a perverse fascination with the spectacle of things falling apart and all its emotional and poetic nuances- - - annihilation, destruction, heartbreak, malfunction, defeat, extinction, obsolescence.

The 1954 Them! movie ad poster

The second Them! is a valentine to all these and its inevitable resolutions - - -both the melancholy of doom and the hope of rescue.

Them! runs from March 25 to April 25 ,2008 at West Gallery, Mary Santos Artcade, 48 West Avenue, Quezon City

Thursday, March 27, 2008

Lou Salvador, Jr. [born December 4, 1941], nicknamed Jojo, was dubbed as the James Dean of the Philippines. The young Lou belonged to the Salvador Clan --- Lou Sr. (the father), Leroy Salvador, Alona Alegre, Chona Sandoval, Ross Rival, Jobelle Salvador, Phillip Salvador, Jumbo Salvador. His dream of becoming an air force pilot was put on hold when he temporarily stopped schooling [third yr. high school] and entered the movies.

In 1957, Lou, only 16 years old, was spotted by veteran director Gregorio Fernandez at the LVN compound. Fernandez took Lou, who was then looking for his brother, and promptly tried him out in Hukom Roldan. From his first bit parts, Lou then went on to get an important part in Sanga-Sangang Puso, play second lead in Troop11 and eventually take the title role in Bad Boywith newcomer Marita Zobel as his leading lady.

In 1958, he went on to appear in Faithful, Barkada, Walang Takot and Isang Paa sa Hukay. He was nominated for Famas Best Supporting Actor in Krus na Daan in 1960 and finally winning it in 1962 for his performance in Ako ang Katrarungan, an FPJ starrer. He is married to Genevieve Poe, a younger sister of FPJ.

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Turn Back the Hands of Time

No one can do it literally, of course. What one often does is to simply relive, or try to remember the past, the good old happy days, the years gone by. Some do it by reading old letters, some by looking at old albums and photographs. Some reminisce to talking to old friends. Well, others simply watch good old movies.